Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic non-specific inflammatory
disease of the gastrointestinal tract, and its pathogenesis has not been
fully understood. Extensive dysregulation of the intestinal mucosal
immune system is critical in the development and progression of IBD.
T-helper (Th) 17 cells have the characteristics of plasticity. They can
transdifferentiate into subpopulations with different functions in
response to different factors in the surrounding environment, thus
taking on different roles in regulating the intestinal immune response.
In this review, we will focus on the plasticity of Th17 cells as well as
the function of Th17 cells and related cytokines in IBD. We will
summarize their pathogenic and protective roles in IBD under different
conditions, respectively, hoping to further deepen the understanding of
the pathological mechanism of IBD and provide ideas for the future
treatment.